Florida Man Bitten By Crocodile After Breaking Into Exhibit To Go Swimming

posted by Bill Galluccio -

Nov 7, 2018

A 23-year-old Florida man learned the hard way why it is a bad idea to go swimming with crocodiles. Police said that Brandon Keith Hatfield broke into the crocodile exhibit at St. Augustine’s Alligator Farm Zoological Park to go for a late-night swim.

Hatfield spent around four hours inside the enclosure, stripping down to just his underwear while in it and causing an estimated $5,000 worth of damage. While he was sitting on a bank of the pond, a nine-foot-long crocodile jumped out the water and latched onto his foot. Hatfield managed to break free and climb out through the ceiling.

A neighbor found Hatfield crawling across his backyard and called 911. Officers responded and took him to the hospital for treatment.

While Hatfield was being transported to the hospital, workers at the park noticed something was amiss when they saw a trail of blood, which led to a pair of shorts. They also found a single Croc shoe floating in the crocodile pit. They called the police and reviewed surveillance camera footage which showed Hatfield dropping into the pit from the ceiling and going for a swim.

The St. Augustine Police Department announced that Hatfield has been charged with burglary, criminal mischief, and violation of probation. They said he will be transferred to prison once he is released from the hospital.